Meet The Team
Cynthia S., M.S., CCC-SLP
Executive Director and Speech-Language Pathologist
Cynthia Starkey, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist who founded Now You’re Talking Speech-Language Pathology after an extensive career working with individuals of all ages, including experience in educational administration, special education advocacy, clinical leadership, and program development. She has long believed that early and meaningful intervention has the power to change the lives of children and families, particularly when parents and caregivers actively engage in the therapeutic process.
Cynthia has dedicated her career to helping children and adults reach their maximum potential in speech, language, communication, social development, and functional participation. She developed “Toddler Talk,” a groundbreaking immersive parent-toddler social-communication training series designed to support early communication, play, engagement, and parent confidence within natural routines.
Cynthia has extensive experience in autism, language delays and disorders, speech sound disorders, auditory processing disorder, dysfluency, social-pragmatic communication, special education law, advocacy, and complex developmental profiles. Known for her ability to help families and teams understand the “why” behind communication and behavior, she translates that understanding into practical, meaningful strategies for her clients and families.
In addition to her direct clinical work, Cynthia serves as a professional consultant, independent assessor, and clinical resource for families, clinicians, interdisciplinary teams, and legal matters involving speech, language, communication, developmental, and educational needs. She also mentors Clinical Fellows as they strengthen their clinical reasoning, documentation skills, parent-coaching practices, and professional confidence during their transition from graduate training to independent practice.
Cynthia lives in Northern California and has three children and many animals who bring joy, humor, and perspective to her life.
Lauren Z., M.S., SLP-CFY
Speech-Language Pathologist
Lauren is a CF-SLP who joined NYT in April 2025. With a background in secondary education, Lauren has chosen to work in the field of Early Intervention because of the tremendous impact it can have on children and their families.
She thoroughly enjoys helping children grow and empowering parents with the skills to support their child's language development.
Lauren currently resides in Northern California with her ever-growing family.
Sydnee C.
Client Care and Administrative Operations Coordinator
Sydnee officially joined Now You're Talking Speech-Language Pathology in 2024 but has known Cynthia for several years, first meeting her when Cynthia served as her son's speech-language pathologist through Alta Regional Center.
Over the years, Sydnee witnessed the tremendous progress her son made through speech therapy and developed a deep appreciation for Cynthia's clinical expertise and dedication to families. During that time, Cynthia also recognized Sydnee's commitment to her son's growth, her attention to detail, and her belief in the practice's ability to positively impact the lives of many other families. Cynthia knew there was a place for Sydnee on the NYT team.
Sydnee brings extensive experience in office administration, personnel management, autism, and speech and language development. She is dedicated to ensuring that each family's experience with our practice is seamless, welcoming, and positive while also providing invaluable support to our clinical team behind the scenes.
Sydnee is an integral member of our organization and is known for her professionalism, positivity, and genuine commitment to the families and staff she serves.
Emily De La C., SLPA
Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant
Emily began her career as a Behavior Technician, where she gained experience and knowledge on supporting children with autism and their families. Through those experiences, Emily discovered a passion for early intervention and the meaningful connections that develop when families and providers work together to support a child’s growth.
Emily recently earned her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and is excited to continue helping children build communication skills that empower them in their daily lives. Emily is especially passionate about supporting multilingual families and expanding access to information about speech and language development for all communities.